by Carly Hansen
This was another unexplained ability that she now had to grapple with, and it frightened her.
But what she now understood was that the images she’d seen were not just her imagination.
Those girls had been killed by a vampire or vampires.
She was more than a little relieved to hear that Micha no longer fed on human blood, and he searched for other ways to get his fix.
It lessened the possibility that he was personally responsible for the carnage the gang had seen.
But it hadn’t removed the chance that it could have been one of his kind acting under his authority.
Although she had thought earlier of simply handing over the evidence to him and forgetting about this whole matter, she couldn’t let this go.
She felt a need deep inside to find out who had sunk fangs into those girls’ flesh. She needed to know that those victims would receive justice.
“That serum of yours, how widely is it being tested?”
“Didn’t Alda tell you? When I came over here, the Vampire Council designated me the overlord for the Eastern Region. I’ve been able to lay down the rule that any vampire who wants to stay or move here must take the serum.”
“There are no vampires in this region who feed?”
“There hasn’t been for the last decade.”
“Just out of curiosity, if there were a vampire taking the serum who did go on to feed, would his ability to move rapidly from place to place be increased, because of the serum?”
Micha shook his head. “A vampire on the serum will fall sick after feeding.”
He looked at her with piercing eyes. “But I don’t see what you’re getting at. Why are you questioning me about a vampire feeding even if taking the serum?”
His voice was harsh and his sudden defensive tone surprised her. She recoiled. Why did he seem to get upset about her question?
He must have seen her reaction because his expression quickly softened.
“Sorry, I—” he began.
Just then, a silver-haired man wearing a long, white overcoat came up the stairs.
He approached with a face marked by disappointment.
“Sorry to disturb you Mr. Angelo,” he said, “but the mobile lab has finished work on that evidence.”
“And?” Micha looked up with expectant eyes.
The man opened his mouth as if to speak, but then shifted his eyes to Fenix and fell silent.
“It’s okay, Dr. Prentice,” Micha said. “This young man is helping on this case. You can talk.”
Fenix pushed up her flat cap, then folded her arms, reveling in the boost to her status Micha’s words had given her. It was also a thrill to hear confirmation that her disguise was convincing. Pretending to be a male was fun, even if it had the deadly serious purpose of keeping her alive in her dangerous world.
Dr. Prentice cleared his throat. “We accessed the photos and videos on the recorder bracelets. The images show wounds consistent with a lycanthrope attack.”
Micha looked at Fenix. “Werewolves, as suspected.”
The doctor shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “Well…”
“You seem hesitant, Dr. Prentice,” Micha said.
“We haven’t come up with anything to confirm that conclusion.”
“What about the olfactory cells on the bracelets?” Micha said.
“Olfactory cells?” Fenix said.
“Yes,” Micha said. “It’s a modification we’ve made to the bracelets. We installed scent receptors to record chemical signals in the air. Our bracelets also collect odor images.”
“The cells picked up readings, but, for some reason, we can’t access them,” the doctor said. “Same with the blood samples. We ran our usual tests to detect the presence of lycanthrope saliva, but we came up with nothing.”
“You mean you found no werewolf scent or saliva?”
“No, I mean we couldn’t even work on the evidence.”
“Is there something wrong with your lab?”
“The equipment works fine when we use control samples. But with this evidence, we get no results. It’s as if the evidence has been corrupted or something is blocking it from being probed.”
Fenix’s heart began thumping when she heard those last words.
She had touched that evidence, or at least been close to it, when her unexplained powers had swept over her. What if those strange powers had somehow corrupted the bracelets and blood samples?
She cringed at the thought that she might have been responsible for preventing Micha from learning it was one of his own kind, and not werewolves, that had taken those girls’ lives.
Micha stared at his fingers as he rapped them on the armrest.
“When we get to Tresmort, I’ll personally take that evidence to Angelo Labs,” he said to Dr. Prentice. He turned to Fenix. “Our equipment there is more refined.”
“Very well, sir.” The doctor made his exit, and Micha remained silent and pensive.
Chapter 15
“I’m determined to get to the bottom of these murders,” Micha said after a while.
“Those girls were so young.” Fenix nodded. “What was done to them was horrible. They deserve justice.”
“Absolutely, whoever did this to them must be caught and punished. But conclusive proof that werewolves were responsible would bring larger issues into play.”
“You seem determined to pin this on werewolves.”
Fenix couldn’t think of a way to point Micha in the direction of the vampire who was the real killer without betraying the secret about her powers and endangering her own life.
“Believe me, I would rather not have a slaying by werewolves on my hands,” Micha said. “But if this is what it was, I must be certain and act on it.”
“What exactly will happen?”
“Per the treaty, werewolves are not allowed in this region, so I would have to contact the Assembly of Werewolves and make them aware that one of their kind would be hunted and brought to justice by vampires, if the perp is still within this territory. But it’s a very volatile situation.”
“How so?”
“The werewolves don’t have as cohesive a governing structure as vampires or even the fae do. The Assembly is their attempt at any kind of unity. Even if the Assembly is on board with vampire justice for the perp, the leader of the killer’s pack could still object, and may seek revenge. The peace treaty among supernaturals that’s in place now is quite fragile. If this situation is not handled right, it could trigger a war.”
“And who would benefit from a war?”
Mica widened his eyes and looked directly at Fenix. “No one benefits from war.”
The abhorrence for war that came through in his voice sounded genuine.
But Fenix was still troubled by the fact that she’d seen vampires commit these murders and that they had purposely tried to pin them on werewolves.
She wondered whether they had acted on their own or had done the bidding of someone with authority over them. Someone, perhaps, with his finger on the button that could start an inter-species war among supernaturals. She couldn’t get away from the thought that someone with a big pharma company might benefit during a time of warfare when his medicines might be in greater demand.
Micha looked at the moon and stars overhead and ran his hand through his thick, sleek hair.
Fenix thought it was crazy to associate those model good looks with the sinister conduct her mind was probing.
But no matter how stirred up inside she felt from just being close to him, Fenix knew she couldn’t let those high cheekbones and mysterious blue eyes cloud her thinking.
She realized that the powers she wished she never had had drawn her into a situation she didn’t fully understand.
Had she stumbled upon a conspiracy to lay false charges against an innocent werewolf and possibly trigger a war? And was this too-gorgeous stranger at the head or heart of it?
Even if she didn’t fully understand what she�
�d been drawn into, the situation was so dangerous and the consequences were so grim that she couldn’t ignore it.
She wished she could have, though. She didn’t want these powers. Didn’t want to remain in Micha Angelo’s presence much longer. She didn’t want to continue feeling the strange, confusing emotions and desires that now churned up inside of her. Or did she?
“I’m sorry.”
Micha’s words drew Fenix out of her thoughts.
“About what?”
“About your having to see what you came across tonight.”
Fenix shrugged.
“I came expecting only Alda to go on this mission,” Micha said. “I’m sure she’s seen worse in her line of work.”
“I’ll survive.”
“You’re a tough one, aren’t you?” His eyes shone with a certain enjoyment. “You’re strong for a boy who’s so—what shall we say—slightly built?”
A smile danced about his thin, perfectly symmetrical lips.
Fenix felt blood rushing to her cheeks. And to other parts of her that were proof she was not a boy.
She cleared her throat. “How did you plan to get us back to Alda’s?”
“I was going to drive you back myself, but now I have to take the evidence to the lab. I’ll have someone meet us at the station to drop you off at the warehouse.”
“How long will it take to get the lab results back?”
“Less time than the mobile lab took. The equipment at the main office is more sophisticated.”
“I’m sure the others won’t mind if we rode along with you and got to hear the results, too. I know they’re curious as to who did this. After all, when you drop us off at Alda’s, it’s not as if we will ever have any further contact with you or Angelo Labs.”
Micha broke into a full smile. “I can’t say that I would mind the company.”
********
The Tresmort station was a massive transit hub. The networks of the bullet train, the rail and light rail, the metro, and the local and intra-state buses all intersected there. Even as early in the morning as they’d arrived, the place was bustling.
As soon as the doors opened and they stepped onto the busy platform, Fenix felt a tug in her stomach.
A knot of fear tightened in her solar plexus. A chill traveled down her legs. Her soles tingled, the way they had the first time she’d stood on the roof of a three-story building and had to jump off to flee a demon.
Alarm bells screaming “danger” went off in her mind.
Behind her, Twain and Java laughed as they walked and chatted. Slightly ahead of her, Micha Angelo strode briskly and confidently through the crowds.
Was this stranger who had suddenly shown up at Alda’s the source of the danger she sensed?
Had she made a huge mistake and put her life and those of her companions at risk by insisting they go along with him to his lab?
Fenix took a deep breath and tried to suppress the feelings of fear that rose inside her. But by the time they exited the building, her legs almost couldn’t bear her weight. The cool breeze that swept her cheeks as they headed to the car failed to refresh her.
“Are you okay?” Micha said as he held the front passenger door open for her.
“Just fine.”
She was sure, though, that her face must have been a tight mask of fear and worry.
As she sank down into the seat, she slid her hand under her leather jacket. Her fingers curled around the hilt of her knife. The thought of having to draw her weapon on this elegant and handsome man at her side tore her up inside. But she could take no chances.
Micha drove slowly out of the parking lot, not saying a word.
As he approached the gate where the bus passengers exited, the sense of danger exploded inside of Fenix.
She fell forward and reached out for the dashboard to brace herself. The seatbelt slapped across her upper body.
“What’s the matter?”
Micha’s voice sounded to Fenix as if it was coming from far away.
The world around her melted away in a blur. Her head throbbed as images flashed before her eyes.
A girl with long, pink hair. A young girl.
She’s running, her heart pounding.
Blood on her feet. She’s lost her shoes.
She’s so terrified, she doesn’t even think about the cuts on her feet.
Men in suits pounce on her.
Mouths open to reveal vampire fangs.
“Fenix.”
Micha’s warm hand came down gently on Fenix’s shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts. She quickly shifted and tossed the hand off.
“Fenix, are you all right?” Java asked from the backseat.
“Yes. I’m fine. It’s just been a long night.”
The opposite of fine couldn’t come close to describing how she felt.
Her entire body was quaking. It was as if every cell, every molecule, was being run though a blender. Even worse than that was the pain that shot through her when she thought about the girl.
Fenix didn’t see the girl’s face, just an impression of it. She was younger than the ones from Birstall. Fenix instantly felt deeply protective of her.
Who was she? Where was she?
Obviously, the girl must have been connected to the three murders by the vampires.
Was she already dead, too?
Fenix swallowed hard as her mind raced in vain to make sense of what was happening.
The car cruised through a grimy part of the city. The buildings became progressively smaller and rundown, but the road would eventually lead to the industrial section of town where Micha said Angelo Labs was located.
Fenix looked out at the darkened storefronts, the litter-strewn streets, and the dim streetlights in a daze. A sudden movement in an alley caught her eye. She felt a strong tug on her stomach.
“Stop the car,” she shouted.
“What?” Micha turned to her but kept moving.
Fenix grabbed the steering wheel and turned it toward the sidewalk. “Stop now,” she yelled.
The brakes groaned and the tires screeched.
“What’s happening?” Twain yelled from the back.
“Hey!” Java cried.
As soon as the car jerked to a halt, Fenix undid her seatbelt and flung the door open. She dashed out the car and bolted back up the street, toward the alley.
“Fenix!” Micha called out.
“Hey, what’s up?” Java shouted.
Fenix had no time to turn back and explain. Heck, she didn’t understand what was happening herself.
All she knew was that her heart pounded so hard it was almost as loud in her ears as her footsteps on the sidewalk. The gut-wrenching fear had returned. And something, some powerful force, was pulling her toward that alley.
Chapter 16
By the time Fenix arrived, whatever had caught her attention was over. The alley was empty.
She walked into it, catching her breath. Her eyes fought to pierce the darkness.
“Hey, Fenix what’s the matter?” Java’s voice said from right behind her.
“Don’t know, exactly,” she said over her shoulder. “I think someone’s in danger.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
The tock-tock of Twain’s peg legs grew louder as he arrived.
Then Micha’s voice called out. “What’s going on?”
Fenix’s feet kept taking her deeper into the darkness of the alley.
Somewhere in the distance, a female voice shrieked.
Fenix ran toward the sound and neared another passageway that crisscrossed her path. Faint light from a streetlight showed the brick wall that marked the end of the alley.
In a flash, a figure blazed past, fleeing down the other lane.
The tug to the center of her being was so strong now that Fenix nearly fell over. She could almost taste the fear, salty and metallic, like blood. Her heart beat even faster.
It was her!
Th
e pink-haired girl from the vision.
She seemed so small, so vulnerable, and every part of Fenix vibrated with a compulsion to protect her.
Seconds later, another figure came pelting down the passageway. It was a man, just barely taller than Fenix. His loose purple robe flowed in the wind as he ran after the girl.
He’s chasing the girl, Fenix’s brain screamed.
The girl was running for her life, and Fenix felt in her bones that she had to help her. She kicked up her heels and pelted after the two figures.
Footsteps told her Micha, Java, and Twain were right behind her.
“Hey! Stop!” Fenix cried out.
It seemed the girl and her pursuer were too far ahead to hear.
The girl tripped and stumbled. The loss of speed allowed her pursuer to catch up with her. He grabbed her by the waist and cupped her mouth.
Without slowing down, he dragged the girl into a side lane.
As they disappeared around the corner, the blood in Fenix’s veins boiled. She tried to double her steps to catch up, but she only succeeded in losing her footing and taking a spill.
Micha and the others caught up to her.
“Did you see that?” Fenix said as Micha and Twain helped her to her feet.
“The girl being chased?” Micha said.
As soon as Fenix was upright again, she took off. “We’ve got to help her,” she shouted over her shoulder.
They arrived at the corner where the man in the purple robe had carted off the girl. They panted as they entered an empty lane.
The alleyways back here were like a labyrinth. Straight ahead was another brick wall. But running parallel to the alley they’d just come from was another lane.
The man had to have taken the girl either left or right in that passageway, Fenix thought.
“Let’s split up,” she said.
“Good idea.” Micha tapped Java on the shoulder. “You and I can go this way.”
They headed in one direction, and Fenix and Twain sped off in the other.
Fenix ran so hard her lungs felt like they would burst any moment. But she couldn’t pay attention to the pain. The connection she felt to the girl overpowered her and kept pulling her further. Fenix hoped her footsteps were taking her to the girl.
